Canary dam

The presa canario is a large, powerful and resistant breed of Spanish presa dog, native to the Canary Islands. The Canarian presa dog is considered, according to a law of the Government of the Canary Islands, the natural symbol of the island of Gran Canaria, together with the cardón. The traditional function is the management of wild or semi-wild cattle, as well as for guarding cattle against any type of predator. It is also often used as a tooth dog to hold large game species.

History

A few years after the conquest of the Canary Archipelago was completed, reference is made in the Cedularios of the Government of the Canary Islands to its agreement of February 5, 1526, in which and in view of the damage caused by dogs to cattle majors and minors, their extermination is ordered, with the exception of the couple that is admitted to the butchers for their service, and such action is entrusted to Don Pedro Fernández de Lugo, who owns two prey dogs trained to kill animals.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, there are numerous allusions and quotes in relation to the presa dog of the Canary Islands, made in the rich historical documentation that follows the Conquest, especially in the so-called Cedularios of the Cabildos, and although at no time is a description of the biotype of these dogs made, the function they develop is explained. The missions of the perro de presa are essentially guarding and dealing with cattle; his service to the butchers is frequently quoted, to subdue the bovine cattle or tied if it is of prey.

Its function determines, therefore, a robust morphology, typical of a prey molosser, but with agility and drive.

The Canary Islands, given their strategic geographical location in the Atlantic, have always been the obligatory stop, the hospitable refueling station on the American route. Due to this circumstance, the various Hispanic races that inhabited the New Continent have always arrived on the islands, essentially for hunting, tracking and prey, which Spain generously disposed of.

Specifically, the Spanish prey breed, the presa español, in its varieties of heavy molosser or dogo and light molosser or alano, so used in the conquest of America, contributed blood currents to the existing presa dog in the Canary Islands.

Throughout the 18th century, the presence of English colonists was more and more frequent in the archipelago, normally merchants who resided temporarily or permanently in the Canary Islands.

Male prey.

The British character and their sporting traditions related to the dog as a fighter, to which they were so fond, reach the Islands. For combat they normally used their typical gladiator dogs, such as bulldogs and bullterriers, which they bring from their country.

This English fondness for dog fighting is fully identified with the island character, with a combative spirit, an aptitude that is repeated in the Balearic archipelago with its Ca de Bou or Majorcan perro de presa or in Japan with the Tosa Inu as a national fighting dog.

Therefore, certain morphological modifications arise in the prey population of the Islands. Not only do you think of a presa dog that develops a correct job as a guard or as a herdsman, but it must also have a willingness to fight.

Independently of this situation, we have to consider the existence in the Canary Islands of the bardino or majorero, a native of the island of Fuerteventura and widely spread throughout the archipelago. This fighting dog, dedicated especially to handling goats and an excellent guardian, combines these conditions with great physical resistance, sobriety, little barking and extraordinary teeth at the service of incorruptible courage. The bardino or majorero was introduced, due to its excellent improving conditions, in the crosses that originated the Presa type that emerged as a result of English influence. Its genetic current determines in the presa canario much of its typical expression, its characteristic brindle coat with a greenish tabby hue, which is why it is popularly called verdino, its rustic hair and its willingness to deal with cattle.

Dogo canario.

Advanced in the present century, the interest in fighting is on the rise. They fight freely and stables are established where the specimens are gathered and selected for their best conditions for fighting, not for their racial characteristics. This situation determined the selection of the presa canario, from a purely functional point of view. That is to say, that it always constituted an ethnic group with magnificent conditions that developed in the Islands since ancient times, but there was never an attempt to establish a phenotype that would give us its true identity.

Once the ban on fighting was decreed in Spain, the Presa Canario began to decline, a situation that aggravated the invasion of foreign races in the Islands, until it reached a phase of near extinction around 1960.

It was from 1970 when its recovery began. Its resurgence is slow but uninterrupted. The interest in the Presa Canario, as part of the Autochthonous Heritage of the Canary Islands, is widespread, although the essential selection and improvement program to obtain the genetic fixity that perpetuates the breed has not yet been considered.

The presa canario and the dogo canario

Traditional canary prey dog.

Many creators and scholars, such as Manuel Curtó Gracia, considered the father of the breed,^{[citation needed]} categorically affirm that the perro de presa canario and the Dogo Canario are two separate breeds, with obvious morphological, phenotypic and functional differences. In fact, the two aspects are selected separately following different patterns and obtaining registrations in different clubs. The dogo canario has been standardized and registered by the FCI since 2001, while the "perro de presa canario" is standardized and registered by the UKC since 2003 with the support of the United Perro de Presa Canario Club of the United States. The dogo canario is classified as a modern show dog with differentiated morphology, while the perro de presa canario is classified as a traditional and functional line dog, not necessarily needing to follow patterns imposed by particular clubs.

Canary prey cap.

As for the perro de presa canario, it can be listed as distinguishable characteristics, for example, the accepted coat colors, the size and the morphology of the dogs. Black fur is accepted and seen as common in the presa canario, unlike the dogo canario which does not occur in this coloration. Breeders of perro de presa canario, in addition to the recent UKC standard, have another elaborate pattern, this one older and built in agreement between veteran breeders from the Canary Islands. In this pattern, in addition to many other differentiable characteristics, weight and height are reported, namely: Height - 61 to 66 cm at the withers in the case of males; and between 57 and 62 cm in the case of females. Weight - average 47 to 57 kg for males; and 40 to 50 kg for females. In addition, the black mask, obligatory in the Canary bulldog, in the presa pattern it is described that they generally have it, but it is implicit that there are Canarian preys without this characteristic.

Racial Patterns

• Legal racial standard: Royal Decree 558/2001
• Race standard of 21 May 1989